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9 months ago in Literary Theory , Moral Philosophy By Suresh

The Link Between Reading Fiction and Developing Empathy

 We always say reading makes us more empathetic. But is there real evidence that literature can make someone a better person in their actual day-to-day actions?

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By Varun Answered 4 months ago

 It's a great and debated question. Literature absolutely has the power to foster empathy by letting us live inside another person's mind. But as critics like Terry Eagleton point out, there's a gap between that understanding in the reading chair and concrete moral action in the real world. Literature provides the raw material for ethical growth—the perspective and insight—but whether it makes us "better" depends entirely on what we do with that insight after we close the book.

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